Snowdrifts on the Ice
by Jaydomination
Summary: The Tribe of Rushing water were not the only Tribe to survive: we fled, and are the Tribe of Ice. We are the thick-furred cats of the tundra, the unfreezeable fighters of the glacier. But nowhere is free of pain. Is free of bitterness. For there are some here with hearts as cold as this land we now walk. But when none are guiltless, which side, which cause, is truly in the right?
1. Prologue

They live in four Clans, unlike our three Tribes that scattered long ago. They have a separate medicine cat and leader, unlike our healers,who were both. And they have found the Moonpool, the place of the ancestors. -Rock

 _"You cannot expect us to leave, Fox's Snows!"_

 _"Do you expect us to live like wandering rouges?!"_

 _"ENOUGH! Rabbit's Tail, The Tribe of Rushing Water has already claimed the closest territory, and we all know the Tribe of Spreading Plain DIED when they tried to fight the monsters on their territory! If the Tribe of Frozen Pine are to survive, we must leave. NOW. Fetch the kits, we have to MOVE."_

 _"We'll all freeze!"_

 _"Well hopefully, the twolegs will first."_

In the generations since, we became known as the Tribe of Ice. We are the thick-furred cats of the tundra, the unfreeze-able fighters of the glacier. The Ancestors still watched over us, although not like in the ways of the past. Our life, and the lives of our kits, should not be possible. But still, we live. But still, we fight. But still, we look to the skies. To the snowdrifts.


	2. Alligences

Tribe of Ice

Leader- Raincliff, Gray-blue tom with gray eyes. His ears are darker on the back then the front. Apprentice- Sparrowpaw

Deputy- Birchwater, tortoiseshell queen with brown eyes. First summerborn to hold the position in generations.

Scout- Rockear, cream tom with blue eyes and his right ear missing.

Healer-scout - Rabbitpaw, Gray she-cat with green eyes and only a stump of her tail left.

Warriors:

Winterborn

Wintersnow- white tom with blue eyes. Notoriously grouchy.

Blizzardtail- white tom with blue eyes, patched with different shades of gray and white. Apprentice- Tundrapaw

Snoweyes- Gray tom, blind gray eyes.

Owlpelt- she cat with green eyes and a pelt like a snowy owl's feathers.

Summerborn

Coldriver- fierce blue-gray she, Raincliff's mate.

Boulderfoot- heavy brown tom with green eyes. Birchwater's mate. Apprentice- Nightpaw

Apprentices:

Winterborn

Tundrapaw- White and brown mottled tom with amber eyes.

Nightpaw- Pure black she cat with blue eyes. A surprisingly good hunter for such a badly camouflaged cat.

Summerborn

Sparrowpaw- brown tom with one brown, one green eyes.

Queens:

Winterborn

Pebblepath- Kind gray she with green eyes. Blizzardtail's mate.

Kits:

Winterborn

Palekit- small cream she-kit with brown

Summerborn

Dawnkit- pale orange tom, amber eyes.

Foxkit- brown and white tom


	3. A rude awakening

**_Moon and snow, sun and rain, parted kin, bond again. Stars descend from the sky. Guard them well, hardship is nigh._**

* * *

 _"Rockear! I told you there was going to be a blizzard. But no, you had to run off to the Cliffbowl, instead off staying here NOT catching greencough."_

 _"I had my reasons Raincliff, dont worry. It will be worth it. Trust me."_

 _"I'm the leader, it's my job to worry. Plus, Rabbitpaw is going to hate you if you keep this up."_

 _"Oh, please. She loves having free reign in MY den, with MY valuable herbs, having naps in MY bed whenever she gets bored."_

 _"...Just tell me what you saw. You know we'll need it if this keeps up."_

* * *

Tundrapaw woke with a jolt. "Sparrowpaw! I'm awake! Seriously, stop!"

"Awwww... " The brown tom stopped poking him and put his paw back down.

"You know,..." The toms turned around to see Wintersnow, the grouchiest cat in all the tribe, staring at them. "The dens may be made of rock, but that doesn't mean everyone's ears are too. Next time, I'll ASK if I want a wake-up call." He padded off to the fresh-kill pile in silence.

Tundrapaw turned back to his main problem. "Why did you wake me up so early? Nothing special about today, right?"

He stared like a startled badger. "What do you mean, nothing special about today?! The Blizzard is over! let's go see the Outside!"

Even though they had been apprentices for a moon, just before they became apprentices the three-moon-long winter blizzard started, so they had never been outside before. This sort of thing was considered quite normal for the tribe. It happened every year, why should it surprise them?

"Come on! We gotta get Raincliff to show us the Glacier!"

"Probably gonna be Blizzardtail. Just because YOUR mentor is the leader doesn't mean he can run off with you for everything."

At that moment, Rockear bolted in, and ran up to the Rockfall. "Scout says..." Tundrapaw turned. "scout says" basically meant 'I've found something important, listen to me.'

"Scout says... We have... a.. way across the.. ravine.. now..." He sat down to catch his breath. "But unfortunately, we also have two other problems. There's a snow fox on the loose, and.." He paused for a second, "The river's surging early." The cave erupted into chatter. The river surging early? If that meant they had to leave the glacier early this season-cycle, they could starve! The ice-cold river was a risky food source, and the small forest provided okay prey at best... And what about the ravine? that was their best protection! With the deep ravine, the freezing river and the near-unpassable glacier, no other animals came onto their wedge of tundra territory.

And other cats were a rarity, too. Some cats from the Tribe had even left because of the harsh land. Sunpelt, who's fur was too thin to survive. Moontail, who was mostly nocturnal. Snowpath, who once tried to "make friends with" a fox. This land WAS pretty dangerous.

As the crowd began to disperse, Nightpaw, Tundrapaw's sister, padded up. "You know what that means?" He turned. "No... what?" She smiled. "Raincliff will almost definitely try to speed up our training!


	4. Sibling secrets

Tundrapaw and the other apprentices sat listening to Blizzardtail's little speech.

"Okay, I have no idea what you know, so let's start with a test of sorts. Firstly, Why do we have a scout and a leader?"

Nightpaw sat up and noted, "So if the leader dies we still have someone to make sure we are't all dead."

Blizzardtail glared at her. "No, that's the deputy. The reason is, so that the leader has someone to seek guidance from. Secondly, what is a scout and what is the difference between a scout and healer scout?"

From the scout's cave, Rabbitpaw called out, "He runs around all day, I do all the work!"

"No you don't!" Turning back to the group, he said,"Answers? Sparrowpaw?"

"The scout looks for water, herbs and where the rabbits are... And the healer-scout is the scout's apprentice, who keeps the Tribe healthy. Both do each-other's job sometimes, depends."

"Good. Now! One final thing. Why do keep track of who was born in the Sunmoons, and who was born in the Snowmoons?"

Tundrapaw knew, but didn't want to say it.

 _I don't want to scare Sparrowpaw! He doesn't know..._

"This one is important! Does anyone know why?"

"Because... Because the Sunborns sometimes disappear... And one even turned up dead."

Sparrowpaw snapped backwards in shock at Tundrapaw's words. Why had he never heard of this? He was older than the others!

Blizzardtail sighed. "Unfortunately, you are correct." He hung his head in shame. "Falconskies. Owlpelt's sister. Tundrapaw and Nightpaw's mother. Found dead on the glacier with her two newborn kits nine moons ago. It was the first day of winter... Wolfstep, her mate, took off to find out who did it and never came back."

Nightpaw turned to Sparrowpaw, a solemn look in her eyes. "No one likes talking about it, but yeah. No kit has been named after a bird of prey since."

"Don't want to provoke whatever's causing this... Nightpaw's right."

Blizzardtail spoke up. "We don't have to start training today if this... um, put you off, Sparrowpaw."

"No, It's fine... Can you show us the Rabbitholes, Blizzardtail?

* * *

 **The plot unfolds... Now, question time!**

 **1\. What do you think is making all the Sunborns disappear?**

 **2\. Do you think Wolfstep is still alive?**

 **3\. Who's your favorite apprentice?**


	5. Hunting lessons

**Sorry if this one is a bit rushed! Caffeine + Sunday evening = Deadlines out the window.**

Blizzardtail crouched behind a small snowbank, watching a small rabbit hole. He whispered back to the three apprentices.

"There's a rabbit just about to come out, see it?" They all nodded in agreement. Sparrowpaw, however, still had a face like he had mouse bile in his mouth. "Look, Sparrowpaw, if you don't want to stay out, then-"

"I'm fine! Just, show us what to do."

Padding softly downwind of the hole, Blizzardtail crouched a few tail-lengths away. A small rabbit crawled out of the hole. As it paused to check for scents, he sprung and rolled with it, sitting up with the rabbit dead in his mouth. Trotting over to the apprentices, he smiled.

"Any questions?"

Tundrapaw was up first. He, however, lunged too early, and all he got from the rabbit was a kick to the rear.

"Toms. You are all too impatient!" Nightpaw backed up her words with a successful catch.

Sparrowpaw somehow managed to land head-first in a rabbit hole. After finally pulling him out, it was revealed that he had tried to chase it into the hole.

"But it just looks so EASY!"

"Well obviously it's not. I'm not going to ask my apprentice to pull you out again, so if you try again, have fun getting your tail frozen overnight."

"Or maybe he just wants to be a rabbit!"

"Shut up Tundrapaw, he was just distracted. You don't want Blizzardtail telling you off, do you?"

"Oh, fine."

"Come on Tundrapaw, Nightpaw, Sparrowpaw, we're going back. Unless anyone still wants to be a rabbit."

* * *

After a successful day hunting, all but one were happy.

As night fell, a small cream colored cat slipped out of the scout's den to be alone.

Rockear sat silently in the Cliffbowl, a small pit in the snow surrounded by scruffy herb bushes. This was one of the places that Ancestors from the Snowdrift spoke.

"I just don't know anymore!" He screamed to the sky. "I never did anything... Why does everyone still blame it on me?!"

As he curled up hopelessly in the snow,small voices, memories, echoed on the wind.

 _"You have no proof, Rockpaw. Just wait, I can disappear, and then they will blame it all on you... Everything."_

 _"You deserve to die, you half-deaf, evil, traitorous filth! Be glad I didn't take you other ear too..."_

* * *

 **Questions!**

 **1\. Who is Rockear talking to in the first memory?**

 **2\. Do you like Blizzardtail?**


	6. Pre-dawn (In two senses)

**I intentionally left you some time to think about that last one, but here's another chapter.**

When Raincliff woke up that morning, he was reluctant to get up. A million thoughts were whirling through his head, and he didn't want to add to them.

Why was the river surging early? Normally it wouldn't surge for another moon! Was the Snowdrift angry? Was that why the Sunborns kept disappearing? Had he failed them? Should he ask Rockear? Could he trust Rockear?

He needed to clear his head. Stretching, he reflected on how lucky they were that the twolegs had left things here. His nest, which was not so much a nest as the preserved pelt of the bear that used to live here, was extremely comfy! Also, they had cut out the large holes in the rock wall that were now used as dens. And then left.

Padding softly out of his den and down the Rockfall, or slope of pebbles outside his den, the two of which put together was half as large as the camp itself, he noticed something was up. Rockear was sneaking into the scout's cave, covered in snow. Why was he out before dawn? Surely he knew the position he was in right now!  
Owlpelt would kill him if she could, after her sister from another litter... He knew he would never get that image out of his mind.

* * *

 _He had just become leader after Eaglecliff, and it was terrifying for him and Birchwater. A queen dead, Senior warrior missing, only cat that linked the two was Rockpaw. He had nearly finished his three moons of fighter training before he was allowed to train as a scout. Stoneshadow had been his mentor! Surely he hadn't killed his mentor too! But there was no other explanation... He had been at the scene in one way at least..._

* * *

Nightpaw quietly shook Tundrapaw awake.

" _Be quiet!_ Look at Sparrowpaw.. Normally he's the first one awake, but today he looks like he's refusing to get up."  
"Still looks better than yesterday."  
"Well, he's not. Unless he sleep talks, which is something I've never heard him do, he didn't sleep all night."  
"Really?"  
"... I can still hear you two, you know. Just... don't. Okay?"  
"Um.. Okay.. Tundrapaw. It's after dawn anyway, so let's go get some food."

Running over to the fresh-kill pile, Tundrapaw tripped over.  
"Do you have a thing with annoying me in the morning, or something?"  
Looking up, he found that he had tripped over Wintersnow's paws, who was now glaring angrily at him.  
"Sorry.. I'll get out of your way."

Quickly grabbing a rabbit from the pile, he padded over to Nightpaw.  
"This's pretty big, so we should share." She nodded. "Yeah. Hey, isn't this the one I caught?"  
He frowned. "How would you even know that?" She grinned. "It had a black foot like this one. Easy to tell if you look."  
"I, for one, don't care. I want to eat it."

"Well hurry up. I can't keep the other mentors waiting all day just because I'm leader. Group battle training today!" Raincliff noted.  
He was standing on the Rockfall, with Blizzardtail and Boulderfoot sitting at the base. Boulderfoot looked around. "Sparrowpaw.. is still asleep?"

At the mention of his name, he padded out of the apprentices den. "Nope. Just..." Blizzardtail gave him a quick "don't mention that" look. "Just tired, Boulderfoot."  
Raincliff smiled. "Then we can go now."

* * *

Rockear was curled up in his nest in the scout's den, shivering slightly. Not from the cold, but from what the Snowdrift had said.  
What were they talking about? No one would believe him if he said it out loud. But, if he could prove it...

* * *

 **Question time!**

 **1\. What do you think Raincliff's warrior name was? (Just asking..)**

 **2\. So far I have written from 4 point of views. (Tundrapaw, Sparrowpaw, Rockear, Raincliff) Which was your favorite?**


	7. An age-old skill

Padding around the flat plain at the top of the glacier, Tundrapaw growled. Nightpaw matched his gaze.  
From a few tail-lengths away, Raincliff called out. "Good stance, Nightpaw! Take your weight off your right side, Tundrapaw! Now, rabbit-tackle!  
Nightpaw sprung, claws half-outstretched, aiming for his shoulder. Bracing himself, he felt her claws hook in his fur. As she curled around, her momentum flipped him over, and they both landed in the snow. Standing on his belly, she smirked. "If I extended my back claws, you would be quite dead."

"Not quite! Tundrapaw! Side roll." Boulderfoot called out. As Tundrapaw rolled sideways, Nightpaw couldn't get her claws out fast enough. Tundrapaw pinned her, hissing in frustration, at the mercy of his front and back paws.

"Done! That's enough for now, come here." Blizzardtail sighed. "That's the final mock fight, so now we should practice the base moves. Right?" He turned to Raincliff, unsure. He nodded. "That is correct, Blizzardtail. So, come over here, Nightpaw. You too, Tundrapaw."

As the apprentices lined up, Boulderfoot started pacing around the roughly round plateau, avoiding the bushes, listing exactly which battle moves were "the basics".  
"Okay. Just a review. The Strike, Slice, Paw Sweep, and Tackle are the simple ones. I don't need to explain those, do I? The more advanced ones Raincliff will cover later."

"Yes I will. But for now.." Raincliff tilted his head slightly in a slight smirk, "Blizzardtail made some snow piles to practice on. I'm not letting you fight, claws unsheathed, on me!" He chuckled, then added as an afterthought, " Or the others, for that matter."

After a while of batting, clawing, tripping, tripping over, tackling and complaining, Raincliff stopped them.  
"Okay. Now for the advanced moves. I've already shown you the rabbit-tackle, a nice leap with a final roll. Boulderfoot explained the side roll counter-move. The other ones are the Clawed charge, the Grapple, the Hook and the Wolf Trap. All very dangerous, and I am not teaching you the wolf trap. Only senior or skilled warriors can learn that one. In fact, I only know of four that could perform the move. Me, Boulderfoot, Wolfstep and Stoneshadow. Even Birchwater turned down the knowledge."

He sighed, and padded around for a bit before continuing. "The Clawed charge. Run at your opponent and dive underneath them. As you dive, twist and land behind them, on your back. Then feel free to rake your back claws down where it'll hurt."

Blizzardtail spoke up for the first time in a while. " The Grapple. Run at them, then twist to the side and lock on to, or merely shred, their shoulders. Definitely one you want to master!" He grinned. "Oh, and my favorite, the Hook. Strike their muzzle, then take the opportunity to hook your paw around the back of their neck. Grip with your claws if you have to. Or just if you feel like it."

Boulderfoot padded back up onto the plateau. Tundrapaw actually hadn't noticed he had left, but then he was quite quiet anyway.

 _And he moves like that without trying? You would think a cat called Boulderfoot would be clumsy.._

Boulderfoot paused, stepped around a dead bush, and looked around. "We should go back now. There isn't much daylight left, and we don't want to bother the tribe by coming back when they're all asleep. We still have a lot more time to train before we go down to the tundra, you know."

* * *

 **Yeah, so, unique moves! Their fighting style is a cross between Windclan, Thunderclan and my own ideas. Hope you like it when the time comes to use it! (If they do, because, like all things, I'm not telling you anything early.)**

 **No questions. Oh, other than,**

 **1\. Why do you think the Wolf trap is so restricted? What do you even think the move IS?**


	8. The first light

**Just a note. The chapter names have been hints about later chapters, although not necessarily the next one. And that's how I always do it. Just saying!**

* * *

 ** _Two moons have passed._**

As Tundrapaw padded in with two rabbits and the setting sun behind him, Raincliff smiled. The apprentice, now ten moons old, was a valuable fighter. Next moon he'll be ready to be a real fighter.  
Turning to the nursery, he saw Blizzardtail padding towards him happily. "My kits are five moons now! They'll be training by the sunmoons!"  
He sighed. "That's not what I asked you. I asked you to check on Birchwater and Palekit, who, by the way, is only three moons. Boulderfoot will have my pelt! Every time I take a breath, he wants me to check on them!" Blizzardtail tilted his head, confused. "If he took it easy on the rabbits, he'd be able to get through the nursery entrance himself."  
Raincliff purred. "Yeah, I guess that's true, but we all need to stuff ourselves for the journey down the glacier in a few days. I've already fallen through the ice a few times this moon. Is it just me, or do I find them first most of the time?

* * *

Tundrapaw sat outside the apprentices den with half a rabbit. The other half had gone to Blizzardtail's kits, Dawnkit and Foxkit. For five moons, the were quite mature.  
When they weren't being total mousebrains. Almost summoned by the thought, Dawnkit bolted straight at him. "Come on, Tundrapaw! Let's play, let's play, let's play!"  
He batted the orange tom-kit off of his rabbit. "Let me eat first, then, if Blizzardtail or one of the other mentors haven't got anything for me to do, yes."  
All the kit seemed to hear was the 'yes'. He barreled off into the nursery, and Tundrapaw could clearly hear him saying, "Come on Foxkit! Hey, mom, can Palekit come too?"

He sighed, finished his rabbit and cleaned the skin off. They used rabbit furs instead of moss up here on the glacier to make nests. Padding into the den, he found Nightpaw and Sparrowpaw talking. "What do you think our names will be? You know, when we finish training?"  
"Probably Sparrowmouth, because you never shut up!" Nightpaw cracked up at her own joke, purring with laughter.  
"If he gets the name Sparrowmouth, then I'll go jump off the Cliffbowl." Tundrapaw settled down into his nest. "Yow excited for the move, Sparrowpaw? You were born in the Sunmoons."

Sparrowpaw flinched back from that comment. "Please don't bring that up." Nightpaw sighed. "What my rabbit-brained brother meant to say was, are you excited to see a real sparrow? We were in the nursery all last Sunmoons." Sparrowpaw calmed down a bit. "Yeah, I guess."

He sighed. "I must look seriously depressed right now..." Tundrapaw looked up at him. "No, not really..."  
 _You've looked seriously depressed for two moons. Not just right now._ But he didn't voice the thought.

Dawnkit chose that moment to bolt into the side cave that was the apprentices den. He seemed a bit hyper. "When I grow up, I'm gonna be Dawncliff, and I'll be bigger and stronger than all of you put together! Then Blizzardtail will be proud of me! Yeah!" Rabbitpaw was standing behind him. "If this is what happens when you eat my dried blackberries, then I'm not letting you in the scout's den anymore." She purred and explained, " We keep some because they're sweet, so you can bribe kits to keep quiet with them. You know, when you're working. But this little mouse ate them all, and now he's jumpy. Today of all days..." She picked Dawnkit up by the scruff, and dragged him off to the nursery in the opposite cave.

Things had just quietened down, when, as the first rays of moonlight lit up the glacier, Raincliff called a meeting.  
"Let all who walk the Ice follow my voice! All who know of six moons, gather at the Rockfall!" As the tribe began to gather at his feet, Rockear and Rabbitpaw padded halfway up the rocks, a sign they were the topic of the meeting.  
 _So that's what she meant!_ Tundrapaw realized. _She's getting her scout name!_  
Raincliff continued. "As you may see, Rockear is satisfied with his apprentice. We are here to greet her fully. Rockear, continue."

He nodded and turned to her. "Rabbitpaw. As the mists closely watch the glacier, will you watch over the tribe, caring and protecting?" She nodded. "Even closer."  
He continued. "And as the wind rushes over the tundra, never leaving, will you too never leave the tribe in times of need?" She tilted her head slightly. "I promise."  
He looked over the tribe. "Then when the Snowdrift comes, they will come to Rabbitflower. May their visits guide your paws and your heart."

After a lot of cheering and yelling her name, things finally disbanded. As all fell quiet, Rabbitflower sat at the Cliffbowl. And the Snowdrift did come.

And she didn't like what they had to say.

* * *

 **Sorry for the time skip. It would take years to write this thing if I didn't. Even the real warriors series used a time skip in the first book.**

 **So, yeah. I think that covers clan meetings, the scout naming ceremony, how to shut up an annoying kit and a plot point! I'm outdoing myself.**

 **1\. Do you like Rabbitflower's name?  
2\. Raincliff and Boulderfoot are actually brothers. Who's the older one?**


	9. An nervous journey

Tundrapaw woke to Sparrowpaw staring at him from the entrance to the den. "Tundrapaw.. You slept in on the traveling day!" He exclaimed.  
"Wait, what?!" He got up and checked the main cave, and, sure enough, it was filled with cats. Nearly every member of the tribe was out there, rushing around with some job or other. Dawnkit, Foxkit and even Palekit were rushing around excited.

He turned back to Sparrowpaw. "I thought it was in a few days?" The small tom shook his head. "Yeah, it was. But that was before Coldriver and Snoweyes both fell through the ice out hunting at dawn. Freaked Raincliff out, his mate being put in danger like that."  
"Oh, well. Guess we just help pack, huh." Tundrapaw noted. He padded away from the apprentices den and over to the scout's den right next to it.

He stuck his head inside. "Hello? Rockear? Rabbitflower, if you're back yet? Anyone?" He padded inside to find Rabbitflower at the back of the cave, near a second entrance that led outside, (That he'd never noticed before) wrapping up herbs in some dry rabbit furs.  
She turned to him and tilted her head slightly. "Tundrapaw? Um.. What do you want? I'm kinda busy." She turned her attention back to wrapping the furs up.  
He looked around at the piles of herbs everywhere. "Do you need help packing?" She nodded. "Yes! Rockear's scouting a good path down the glacier, so I've been by myself all day... Could you get me some more cobwebs from the storage hole there?"

He looked around. Storage hole? He'd never seen a storage hole. But on the left wall, sure enough there was a cave, about as big and long as a cat, now empty of almost all herbs. He looked around a bit before he found some cobwebs and brought them over. She set straight to work sealing the rabbit-fur bundles shut with cobwebs.

He paused. "Need anything else?" She didn't seem to notice he had said anything. Tundrapaw sighed. "I guess I'll go find something else to do. See you, Rabbitflower." He had just padded out into the main cave when he spotted Pebblepath, the only queen in the nursery. He padded over. "Hello, Pebblepath. Need me to find the kits again?" He had been the one that had to do this for as long as he could remember.  
She smiled. "If you can. Ever since Palekit's eyes opened and Birchwater left the nursery, they've been running any chance they got!" She purred.  
He chuckled. "I guess that's true! See you, Pebblepath."

He padded out of the cave and looked at the snow around him. The two toms were a bad influence on Palekit. She kept getting in trouble!  
It didn't take too long to find her. She was crouched on the snow, pretending to be part of a snowbank just past a small rock overhang. He lifted her onto her paws and stared at her for a second. "Palekit, what would Birchwater say about this? You're gonna get cold if you stay here." She looked up at him. "No! I'm waiting for the others." She stared out at the snowy mountainside past the glacier and sat down.

Tundrapaw sighed. "Where are the others, then?" Foxkit's voice called out from behind him. "Ambushing you!"  
Tundrapaw fell on his face as both Foxkit and Dawnkit landed on his back. He knew he should have checked that overhang. He flinched as their little kit claws dug into his back. He sighed again. "Off, kits. If you want an adventure, do it later. Just, go back to Pebblepath." The kits moaned for a bit, then ran in to the cave.  
 _Probably plotting their next escape._ Tundrapaw thought.

As the sun reached it's peak in the sky, the tribe gathered in the main cave. Raincliff and Birchwater were standing on the Rockfall patiently. Rockear bolted into the cave and sat at the base, before announcing the path to the tribe. "Scout says the path is clear! However, I could smell that snow fox's scent. The kits should take the middle, then older cats, then lastly apprentices. They should be fast enough to send it off if needs be." Raincliff nodded.  
Birchwater stepped forward. "Well. Do as he says. We'll be there by sun down, I'm sure. This will be good scent training for the apprentices... A fox, did you say, Rockear?"

* * *

The tribe were moving at a good pace. They were at the most dangerous part of the journey, though. The Sunmoon snowline. The ground here was packed, nearly plant-less dirt and pebbles. The glacier here was not so much a glacier as a river with bits of ice in it, and a kit would be easily swept away by the floodwaters. They had crossed the glacier higher up the mountain, and were not on the side of the setting sun, as opposed to the sunrise side where the camp was. The summer camp was purposely on this side, to confuse the trail of anyone dangerous who followed the scent path they had left. It had happened before, and that wolf still wasn't dead yet according to Snoweyes.

As the tribe moved into the loose forest, a large thorn bush shook.

Tundrapaw, on the right side of the group, was nervous. The trees were tighter than the bushes on the glacier. How could you run around here? The rustling of the few leaves already on the trees were so loud to him that he barely heard the panting coming from near his side. The scent was familiar to him, but he still found the sight of a fox terrifying. As it lunged at him, snarling, he flinched. _Rabbit dung. Actually, I hope the snowdrift has rabbits._

* * *

 **Just saying, I'm keeping the fight scene separate because it will probably take me ages to make it good, and I don't want to hold this part up.**

 **No questions. But feel free to PM me your guesses for what happens next. Not review. PM. **


	10. Rising with the moon

**Ha! Sorry if this takes ages, so I finally decided to show you the prophesy I wrote. It inspired this entire series! (Well, it and one of my friends..)**

 **The forest soul, the mountain heart,  
** **mirror each other though far apart.  
** **When the hunter of Tigers succumbs to the flames,  
the shade of the rocks will begin his games. **

**So where were we? Oh, right. Tundrapaw very nearly gets murdered by a fox. Okay, This will take a while...  
(Writer's block sucks RIP 5 characters' original roles.)**

* * *

Tundrapaw half-dove-half-fell to his right, flinching as he felt the fox snap on his hind leg. _That's gotta be bad..._ Turning his head to hiss at it, it bit down harder. Sparrowpaw bolted round the group and slashed down the fox's flank. "Nightpaw! Blizzardtail! One of you actually help me!" Tundrapaw propped himself up and slashed at it's muzzle. "Any time now!" He slammed hard on his side as it dragged his paws out from under him.

Nightpaw, who had been too scared to move before, padded softly around this chaotic scene, looking for a good time to leap. As Sparrowpaw slashed at the fox's eyes and face, Nightpaw quietly sneaked up to it's side. She paused a moment, then slashed down it's belly, leaving a few good cuts.  
Together with another slash from Tundrapaw, they made the fox release it's grip.

Blizzardtail, who had chosen not to go into battle, along with all the other members of the tribe, finally chose that moment to sprint up and spring onto it, knocking it over. He hissed something quietly into it's ear, then slashed it's face, leaping off it. The fox picked itself up and bolted away in the direction of the tundra.

As he turned around, looking pleased with himself, Sparrowpaw padded up angrily. "Why didn't you help me?! We could have been killed!" He raged at him.

Wintersnow trotted out from the group with a scowl on his face. "Because the smaller the enemy, the less they expect you to fight back, you rabbit-brains! If he got involved while it had his apprentice, it would have fought harder, and you all would have DIED!" He smirked, and trotted back to the rest of the tribe.  
Blizzardtail nodded. "Yeah, that's true. But I sent him off, didn't I? Now there's something for my kits to look up to!" he purred.

Nightpaw still looked mad, even after Sparrowpaw cooled down. Not that you could really tell. "Well, someone look at this. Tundrapaw's leg. It's barely bleeding.  
How does that even work?" She puzzled. Rockear chuckled. "Well, we all have thick fur. Keeps the cold out. Also keeps teeth and claws out.  
Yes, it hurts, but it isn't serious. Rarely ever is. Since you can probably stand on it, we should keep moving." Raincliff nodded. As the group moved on, Tundrapaw noticed that Blizzardtail was padding along next to Boulderfoot and Raincliff, whispering something.

* * *

As the sun started to sink below the horizon, the tribe arrived at the Sunmoon camp. It was a small circle of bramble-bush dens, with a low tree branch over one den and bramble tendrils woven between the trees as a low wall. Padding through the entrance, he noticed that Raincliff was already sitting on the branch.  
He looked over to Blizzardtail and Boulderfoot, and nodded. He turned back to the tribe and yowled out, "Let all who walk the Ice hear my voice! All who know six moons, gather beneath the Suntree!" While the group gathered underneath him, Tundrapaw found himself at the front of the group. Raincliff smiled.

Raincliff began. "We have now left the Mistcave camp. As all our warriors know, It is customary to make a fighter and give them an apprentice at the same time. For two of our three apprentices, this is possible.  
So let's start. Sparrowpaw, Nightpaw, Tundrapaw." The three shuffled forward nervously. "As the she-wolf cares for it's pups, will you hunt and fight for the tribe?"  
Tundrapaw and Sparrowpaw both chorused, "Yes!" and Nightpaw nodded silently. He looked at the setting sun, then back to them.  
"Mentors. Do you feel that their virtues outweigh their faults?" Boulderfoot stepped forward. "Yes. We are sure of this."  
Raincliff stared intensely at the apprentices, an unidentifiable emotion in his stone gray eyes.

"Sparrowpaw. The Tribe acknowledges your speed and fierce determination, and so name you Sparrowhawk. You will not be receiving an apprentice."

"Nightpaw. The Tribe acknowledges your stealth and skill at hunting, and name you Nightwhisper. Foxkit, until you are deemed ready, you will be known as Foxpaw. Nightwhisper will be your mentor, responsible for training and advice. Treat him well, Nightwhisper."

"Tundrapaw. The Tribe acknowledges your endurance and justice, and name you Tundrastride. Dawnkit, until you are deemed ready, you will be known as Dawnpaw.  
Tundrastride will be your mentor, responsible for training and advice. T-" Blizzardtail interrupted him. "Do not push him, Dawnpaw, or there will be consequences."

Raincliff stared at Blizzardtail for a second. "That is true, Dawnpaw. Treat him well, Tundrastride. You and Nightwhisper would make Wolfstep proud if he saw you."  
He shook his head slightly. "This meeting is over. Blizzardtail, show your kits their nests."

* * *

Tundrastride stared at Dawnpaw padding off with Blizzardtail, and felt a stab of jealousy. He wished he knew his father like that. Shaking off the thought, he looked around the camp. Boulderfoot was staring at him from a gap in the front of the largest bramble bush. "Tundrastride! Fighters den's over here. You know, nests?"

He chuckled. "Nests? Sleep? Yeah, More than you, what with Palekit now being in the nursery by herself. Birchwater's making you stay with Palekit, instead of doing it herself, I suppose?"  
Tundrastride didn't listen for his answer. Instead, he padded into the den and dropped onto the first free nest. It seemed that Snoweyes had made some, instead of attending the ceremony." _I'll have to thank him... later... ZZZ...ZZZ...  
_

* * *

 _...Two pair of eyes roamed the territory. One seeking evil, the other revenge against the first. What is the difference between the two?...  
_

 ** _...They are on the same path.  
_**

* * *

 **Yay! Finally done! A fox, a genetic trait, a warrior and apprentice ceremony and a creepy dream! Now lets see.. *looks over notes*  
Look for my new Pokemon fanfic, Primal, which is coming out soon.  
Shout out to Heavenly Survivor, who has reviewed every chapter, you're awesome!  
A Sparrowhawk is a real bird, look it up.  
Questions!  
1\. What's Tundrastride's creepy dream about?!  
2\. Do you like the names?  
3\. How many chapters should I wait until Snoweyes goes to the elders?**


	11. Overshadowing a fox

**Trying to remember not to call him Tundrapaw is so hard! *sulks like a kit*  
**

* * *

Tundrastride rolled over in his nest, felling tired. He hadn't gotten any sleep at all. What was that dream even about? He had never seen a cat with purple eyes before. Trying to slip back to sleep, even though it was dawn, his plans were interrupted by a commotion from outside. A quiet, but still noticeable one. Padding sleepily out of the den, he was shocked awake. Standing at the entrance to camp was a cat he had never seen before. A cat with purple eyes.

* * *

Of all the things he could have woken up to this morning, Raincliff did not expect this one. In his entire life, he had only met one cat with lavender-blue eyes like that.  
But he had been fairly sure that he was dead. Standing in the middle of the camp, he stared. In disbelief, he cautiously asked this cat. "Wolfstep? Is that you?"  
The cat smirked, padded up to him and said, humor in his eyes, "Well, could it be anyone else, Rainr- sorry, Raincliff?" Wolfstep sat down with a contented look on his face. "I suppose Sparrowkit, Rabbitkit and Mintkit got lonely without anyone to play with?" Raincliff stared at him awkwardly. _Wait. Does he not.. Did he leave before we found out they were..?_  
He hesitated, then began. "Wolfstep, your kits were never dead." His jaw dropped. "...Well can I see them then? Are they full fighters yet? Come on, Raincliff! Tell me something!" Wolfstep was barely managing to keep all four paws on the ground, he seemed that excited.

Nightwhisper slipped out into the clearing, and padded up warily. "Well, I don't know who YOU think you are but-" Her hostile rant was interrupted by Raincliff, who silenced her with a glare. "Nightwhisper. Calm down." Even before he could finish his sentence, Wolfstep's face shone with pride and awe. "Nightkit.." He murmured to himself. Raincliff looked at him, then to Nightwhisper, then back. _Do I really have to be the one to say this?_ He wondered. "Look." He paused, awkward. "Nightwhisper, this is your father, Wolfstep." She recoiled like she had been swiped on the muzzle. "Wait..." She stared at Wolfstep, then gave Raincliff an expression that clearly read, _This guy is related to me? He looks like a stone with a tail and legs._

* * *

Tundrastride stared at the unfolding scene. He padded up nervously. "Nightwhisper, he's telling the truth. You really think someone would walk in and pretend to be our father? What would anyone even get out of that? Plus, Raincliff wouldn't play along with it." He saw the cat's- no, his fathers, eyes widen even more at the sight of him. "T-Tundrakit? But you were d-" Rockear, padding out from his den, cut him off. "He's not the first cat you thought was dead, and he's **obviously not** , so  get over it!"  
Wolfstep growled slightly. He had a tail that was slightly thicker in the middle than at each end, so the angry lashing of his tail looked quite funny, actually.

After a little while, Raincliff spoke up again. "Why are you here, Wolfstep? You were never one to go anywhere without a clear reason to be there." Wolfstep shuffled awkwardly. "Uh.. Yeah, about that... I wasn't really planning to stay, just stop Sto-" He was interrupted by a panicked scream. He visually wilted. "And I'm too late. Again."

* * *

Tundrastride whirled around in the direction of the noise, claws digging into the dirt. He barely had time to register what den he was looking at before he saw Dawnpaw bolting out, a disturbed look on his face. He was still on his paws, barely, stuttering so fast that no one could tell what he was saying. Tundrastride sat down next to his apprentice nervously. "Dawnpaw, what.. What happened? What's going on?" _As if my day couldn't get more nuts._

Dawnpaw stared at his paws. His eyes were wide with shock. Looking around for what might have caused this, Tundrastride noticed Rockear looked almost exactly the same as Dawnpaw did. The apprentice finally looked up at him. "I-In the den! Foxpaw's still in there..." He went back to stuttering again, and Tundrastride sighed. "Coming, Raincliff?" He nodded. Rockear shivered. "A... Actually I'll come too."

* * *

Raincliff padded into the den, claws ready. Even he flinched at the scene. The rear wall of the bramble den had been torn down, and standing in the gap was a large, heavily muscled cat, with gray fur and harsh green eyes. Smirking at the sight of the others, he chuckled slightly. The dirt was smeared with blood, and limp at the tom's feet was the bloody form of Foxpaw. The tom looked down at the small apprentice, then gave him another nick in the ear. "Rockpaw, Rainripple, Wolfstep, how nice to see you.." He said in an overly sarcastic voice. "It really is a shame I can't stay... Bye now!" He slashed down Foxpaw's flank, then turned and ran, disappearing over a ridge within a few breaths. Tundrastride glared at Rockear. "Well aren't you going to do something?!" He yelled. Rockear didn't seem to hear. He merely muttered something, then passed out.

Nightwhisper rolled her eyes and ran to fetch Rabbitflower. As the she-cat trotted into the scene, her eyes widened. She turned back to Nightwhisper and started listing things that she needed her to bring here. Before Nightwhisper went to collect the herbs, she asked the question. "Rabbitflower, do you think he'll live?" She sighed. "I can only tell you that I'll try."

* * *

Wolfstep sat next to Raincliff in the center of the camp. Turning to him, Wolfstep sighed. "Did you hear what Rockear mumbled?" Raincliff looked at him. "No, what?" He looked around awkwardly. "The name of the attacker, who you should have recognized, correct?" Raincliff looked down at his paws. "Yeah. Stoneshadow."

* * *

 **No, keyboard, why do you do this to me?! I like Foxpaw! By the way, reread chapter 6 again if you can't remember who Stoneshadow is.**

 **This book has a Forum! Yay! Somewhere for you to ask me questions! Look at it!  
No questions, I'm off to yell at my keyboard. DX**


	12. The unrest to come

Dawnpaw sat outside the scout's den as the sun went down that day, reflecting over what had happened. Only just before they had been sitting in the apprentices den, talking about how happy Raincliff had looked when he made their mentors full fighters... What chance had there been for a rouge attack, of all things, to happen?

As he sat complaining to himself, Rabbitflower came out of the den and sat down. His ears perked up. "Well? How's Foxpaw? Is it going well?" He pestered the young scout. Rabbitflower looked at him with a weak look of humor in her eyes. "Well it's more like making me want to go and eat the berry from a fire bush, but I think he'll be okay. I also managed to convince Rockear to get up, which is a bonus." Rockear called from inside the den, and she padded back to him.

Dawnpaw felt like going back to bed, but instead he bounded over to the prey pile and tried to find something he could keep down. He failed.

* * *

Tundrastride drew another bramble tendril over the large hole in the den wall, scuffing dirt around the base of the wall. And everywhere else in the den too. It would be hard for the apprentices to get over it if there were still blood marks, so they were replacing all the bloodied tendrils as well. He and Wintersnow had a lot of work to do. Not that the grouchy tom would help much. Whatever "Winter" was, if it was just like Wintersnow then he hoped he'd never see it. (Why was he named after a twoleg word anyway?!) He would love to just sit back and laugh. That was just the way he was, and there was no changing that anytime soon.

* * *

Raincliff sat in his den with his senior warriors, a bit confused. Why had Stoneshadow gone after an apprentice he had never seen before, or even heard of? Why had he even attacked them at all? He had been one of the most respected senior members of the tribe, and even had the honor of being the fighting-mentor to a future scout! What was left for him to want? Boulderfoot and Birchwater had no idea, Blizzardtail had been too emotional to say anything on the subject, and Wolfstep looked like he had failed the Snowdrift itself. This vaguely reminded him of Foxcliff's council of war from the oldest stories, and the irony of that thought almost hurt.

Wolfstep spoke up. "Well.. I see two possible reasons why he did what he did. I can guess that he overheard what the apprentices were talking about. The apprentice ceremony, I think Dawnpaw said. Well, Stoneshadow is either targeting those with a relation to me.. Or.. he likes to scare others before he goes for them. I know, he's done it to me before. When I was hunting him. I think he's targeting you, Raincliff." He could tell that Wolfstep was telling the truth. Well... there was no reason for him to be lying, at least. "So you're saying he wants to kill me?" He meowed. The larger cat paused, then gave a brief nod. He forced out an obviously faked purr. "Well he's going to have a hard time, getting through all my blessings."

He turned to leave the den, but Wolfstep put a paw in-between him and the outside. "I don't actually think he's going to have a problem, really. You're not amazing, he only has to kill you once for you to die. In that way, you're exactly the same as all.." He stuck his head out of the den and looked around the camp. "... Ten? Ten or so good cats, that are either dead or holed up somewhere because you think you can 'Handle it'!" Wolfstep glared, teeth bared, at the smaller tom.  
Then, like a branch breaking, his face snapped to one of shame and sadness. "Look.. I.. Just keep away from me. I guess Stoneshadow is right to hate me because of my family. I'm not safe." He turned and fled out of camp, head down without stopping.

"Bet you a rabbit he'll come back." Birchwater softly meowed, looking down at the dirt at her paws. "You think he'll leave his kits?" she noted. Raincliff growled. "He's done it for a whole season cycle before now. What's stopping him this time?" He spat as he stalked out to the camp. Padding out to the entrance, He sighed. "Well, I owe you half a rabbit, Birchwater!" He called back to her. Outside of the camp, about four or five fox-lengths away, Wolfstep was standing in a den in the roots of an oak tree. Looking down, Wolfstep turned around and slipped out of sight. "You're still welcome in camp, just so you know!" He called out, then turned and padded back to the camp.

* * *

Rockear looked up at the moon. Tomorrow it would be full. The three days of the half-moon had started once more. "Rabbitflower! Come on. If I want to get to the snow cave before the night ends, you'll need to hurry up with those herbs... Look, maybe I'll get something that tells us how to treat Foxpaw. We both know that he hasn't improved at all. Just.. stayed exactly the same. Every day." Padding over, gray fur twitching irritably, Rabbitflower dropped an oak leaf with a pile of sticky herbs on it at his feet. "There's honey in it to help it go down. Needed the raspberries for Dawnpaw. I've been giving him thyme-stuffed ones to keep him from doing something stupid while he's upset." She turned back to Foxpaw's nest and started changing his cobwebs. Her tail stump was lashing angrily, and Rockear couldn't help but purr happily at the sight. _All five moons I've worked with her, and I've never gotten over how funny that looks..._ He lapped up the mixture, trying not to compare the taste to grass as he always did, then turned and padded swiftly out of camp, hoping that nothing went wrong in the three sunrises of his absence.

Paws flying swiftly over the tundra, Rockear headed towards the one small hill on the otherwise featureless plains. As he got within a few fox-lengths, the land began to slope downwards towards a small cave mouth, sheltering him from the wind that had before been ruffling through his fur. Trotting in, he looked around the cave. A round hole in the roof had let in some of the last storm, and now the moon was shining down on the perfect circle of white snow. Good ear perked up to check he was alone, Rockear padded softly to the center of the room, hesitated, then closed his eyes and placed one faintly scarred pad down on the snow.

Opening his eyes, he was sitting in a narrow valley, opening up into a larger, snowy valley a few fox-lengths away. Behind him, however, the narrow valley carried on as far as he could see. Looking back towards the Snowdrift, he saw a slim, tan-brown she-cat, with sky-blue eyes and a cheeky smile. He nodded politely. "Falconskies. I thought you weren't allowed to speak to me during the full moon days?" She grinned. "I'm still not. I just knocked out Eaglecliff, who was." Before he could respond, her face turned serious. "Putting that behind us, I have something important to say. Stoneshadow's treachery has been revealed. Now you must break your silence. You must."

* * *

 **Okay, sorry to break it off there, but this chapter was getting too long. Ah, plot points. How I love them.**

 **Questions!  
1\. why is Wolfstep so jumpy?  
2\. What do you think the cave is called?  
and, two joke questions,  
1\. How does Rockear know what grass tastes like?!  
2\. Do you want a thyme-stuffed raspberry?**


	13. Pawsteps through the Past

**Once again, sorry that I haven't updated in AGES. I have no excuses. Oh, and I'm going to try writing first-person when it's Raincliff's point of view, since he was the favourite point of view overall, and in things only one character can see, like visions and dreams and stuff.**

* * *

Rockear padded gently through the snow, heading back into the Snowlight cave. His paws were itching to carry me in the other direction, back towards camp to break his silence, but the laws of the tribe stated that he could not leave until the three days of the full moon were up. Padding warily around the perfectly round patch of snow in the centre of the cave, he sat down with the rabbit he had caught on the tundra.

He ate his rabbit slowly, trying to hold back a yawn. He still hadn't had any proper sleep. Not that there was any time to. He grunted as the moon reached it's peak, causing the cave to light up suddenly, hurting his eyes and making him flinch. "Moonhigh already?" he growled slightly. "Why can't I just sleep?"

A loud roar of wind threw a pawful of snow through the hole in the roof, and onto the circle. he tensed, and muttered a quiet apology. The wind threw another pawful of snow down, then died away. Sighing, he padded forward and touched the snow circle once more, his vision exploding into white.

* * *

Tundrastride was sitting at the camp entrance, staring over at his father. I was concerned. Nightwhisper was all caught up in what had happened to her apprentice, but Tundrastride had no such problems; he had nothing that could truly keep his mind off the ache of his father fleeing a second time. Wolfstep had been ignoring everyone that had tried to talk to him, and pretending they weren't there. I could see what this was doing to Tundrastride, but Wolfstep was a hard cat to convince. Even when he was listening to you.

I padded up to the camp entrance and sat by the young tom. "He's just trying to protect you, you know." I mewed. He turned his head and stared me straight in the face. "If he was trying to protect us, he would have stayed here!" he spat. There was a fire burning in the young tom's eyes that I had never seen from him before. "But instead, he ran away. Like the coward he is! And then... And then he DID IT AGAIN!" he yowled. I recoiled slightly from this strange show of temper. Tundrastride was normally quite calm, if not playful and outgoing- but never angry... I shook my head sadly. "No, protect you from himself." I muttered, turning and padding away amid the tom's cries of "What do you mean by that?!"

* * *

 _Don't be so impatient, Rockear. You still have to do this. ...However much you hate coming here._ he thought quietly to himself as the fuzziness in his vision cleared. He was sitting in the same valley as the previous night. He stood to his paws and began padding towards the end of the valley, where the snowdrift would meet him. After a while of walking, it still didn't seem any closer. He cursed under his breath, and turned around.

"You all know the Avalanche can't interrupt, so get out of my sight! I told you, you know I didn't do it!" He spat. From the shadows among the rocks and branches, barely noticeable before, were several faded black spirit-cats smirking menacingly at him. The largest; a fast, slim and thoroughly cunning she-cat named Starseeker, which was an unlucky enough name in the tribe, stalked up to him. "Oh, but we can." she purred with cruel delight. "It's our role to interrupt, we're the evil Avalanche, are we not?" He glared up at her. "...There is no 'we'. I'm not like you." he spat.

She looked at him with mild interest. "Oh? I think you've forgotten that you aided a murderer! Does the little Rockpaw need a reminder..?" she cooed in a humiliating sarcasm. His one ear flattened back in terror. "You wouldn't." he murmured, immediately realising it was the wrong thing to say. She laughed triumphantly. "You said it! Oh, now I just HAVE to..." she chuckled. "Oh, well... It was fun seeing you again. Bad dreams!" she purred, trotting away happily as he slipped into a flashback.

* * *

 _Stoneshadow had insisted that Falconskies help him in that day's training session. Even offered to help carry the kits. "But Falconskies... You're much better at explaining hunting moves than I am." he had said. "You know I'm more of a fighter." he had said. It was when I was sitting and listening to her explain how to stay downwind of prey that I saw him._

 _Stoneshadow. Crouched back, about to spring. I tried to warn her, but she turned around too slow to defend herself. The worst part of it all was the look of utter contempt on his face as he watched her bleed out. Then he turned on me. Pinning me back against the snow, he snarled and bit through my right ear. I yowled in pain, so he slammed my head into the snow._

 _"Shut up. You deserve to die, you half-deaf, evil, traitorous filth! So be glad I didn't take your other ear too. ...I really should kill you, you know." he noted in a hushed mew. He looked around, a small, cruel smile starting on his face. "No... I can leave you here." he smirked. "They'll know it was you. I'll tell them." I hissed. He slammed my head into the snow again. "I suppose that could work. There's just one problem. You have no proof, Rockpaw. Just wait. I can disappear, and then they will blame it all on you. Everything. If you say anything, I will come back, and I will kill you."  
The slammed a paw down on my face, and my vision went black. When I opened my eyes again Raincliff was standing over me sadly. I only heard one sentence before passing out again.  
_

 ** _"Rockpaw...Why?"_**

* * *

Rockear woke up crouched over the snow circle, shivering with fear. He wished he could just leave that night behind, but... how could he when it trailed him in every pawstep?

* * *

 **Hopefully that clears up why Rockear is so mopey, and why he fainted at the sight of Stoneshadow a few chapters back.  
Look, I've pretty much given up on questions.**


	14. Down from the sky

**Wasn't that last chapter fun? Oh, the plot points! XD I LOVE plot points. So now, let's see if I can keep them going.**

* * *

I was sitting in my den, stressing over what to do about Foxpaw, when Rabbitflower came to inform me that Wolfstep had gone missing again. How she had realised while she was so busy, I have no idea. "Raincliff, he's not there." she repeated. "Yes, you've said that already. If he's not there, then where is he?" I mewed, still thinking over my problems, and not really focusing on her. "Well, if I knew that, I wouldn't have told you!" she spat. I looked over at her. "Don't get worked up over it. Wolfstep's always been better than a cat at keeping himself safe. He'll turn up." I mewed. She looked unimpressed. "Eventually." I added quickly. She snorted and headed back to the scout's den.

I padded out into the camp and looked around. It seemed so... Empty. When I first became leader, there would have always been a few kits or apprentices playing around. Now, the tribe was almost over. I looked up to the sky, where the mist was swirling around in it's usual way, never fully clearing even in the mild warmth of sun-high. _It's like the last season-cycle has been one disaster after another... Maybe I could just run away... No, no, I can't. Coldriver would kill me._ I thought to myself.

A rustle at the camp entrance caught my attention. Not recognising the scent, I slipped away to investigate who it was that had just slipped out.

* * *

Rockear sat in a small clump of bushes, a few tail-lengths from the Snowlight cave. He watched as the moon rose higher in the night sky, but refused to look back at the cave behind him. The wind whistled around him, carrying questioning whispers, but he flicked his ear irritably. "I'm not going back in there. I don't want another nightmare." he muttered. A gale whipped into his face with a roar, and he flinched back. "NO, okay?" he spat.

A flash of snow-white light blasted over the sky, and Rockear yowled in pain, rubbing his eyes. The light gathered slowly into one point of the sky, then exploded in a storm of snow. Standing back to his paws, he turned around. A ghostly white figure was sitting in the snow. Rockear was unsettled. "Who... Who are you?" he asked. "You're not one of the Snowdrift's spirits I've seen before. But... You look like you're from the Snowdrift." The figure shook his head. "No. I am not from them. My skies are of the stars. You. You may call me Lightbringer. I am only here because it is desperate." "Hold on." Rockear interrupted. "You are from the stars? Sun-kin? Ice-Thaw-Bringer? How can I trust you? The stars are the enemy of everything we stand for!" He yowled.

Lightbringer sighed. "The stars are just as important as the Snowdrift and their beloved Sky-Shine. Are stars not also bringers of light? Now, hear my message.

 _The sun betrayed by it's firstborn light._

 _Champion of the mountains and the walkers of the night._

 _Some paths will only hold curse-weighted paws._

 _Death will come, or justice falls."_

Rockear stepped forward. "What does that have to do with anything?!" he wailed. "Everything. For fate is inescapable. Especially this one." Lightbringer mewed. He bowed his head. "Walk true, Fate-cursed." he mewed, as his figure slowly faded, until all that was left was the wind. And a small leaf-wrap of herbs at Rockear's paws. Watching the spot where Lightbringer had disappeared for a few moments longer, he noticed the leaf-wrap he had nearly just stood on. He froze for a moment, then bent down and sniffed it carefully. Eyes widening, he snatched the bundle and sprinted in the direction of the camp.

* * *

I wandered through the birch forest, following the scents of the intruder. I had been desperately hoping it was Stoneshadow; and that I could finally get revenge on him for picking of my tribe, but it didn't match his entirely. It smelled similar, a kit of his, maybe... _But I know where both of them are. Besides, I can't imagine Sparrowhawk or Rabbitflower chasing after their father, he has rejected them after all. I don't even know if they've been told! _I sighed, and continued along the scent trail, when it stopped at the foot of a large tree. I looked around, a little confused. The snap of a branch breaking caught my attention, and I looked up just in time to see a flash of mottled brown-gray fur falling right above me. I was out before I could even hear the thud.

* * *

 **So... Another random prophesy, Sparrowhawk and Rabbitflower are siblings, and Raincliff has terrible luck. I'm enjoying writing this WAY more than I think I should be...**


	15. Clouding the stars

**With each chapter that passes, the more I think I probably shouldn't be enjoying this as much as I actually am. It's slightly disturbing.**

* * *

As I opened my eyes, I watched as the world around me slowly brightened and cleared back into one image- that of a very shocked brown-and-grey young she cat, who seemed very intent on apologizing many more times than were necessary. I stopped her as soon as I had caught my breath. "No, no, it's fine." I assured her. She looked relieved. "Oh, good. I didn't hurt you? You sure? If I hurt someone, my father would be SO mad. Especially around here. Dad says these woods are cursed, that anyone that sheds cat blood here goes missing... It makes him mad. ...He's not very pleasant while he's mad." she added quietly. I opened my mouth to ask her a question when we were interrupted by a call in the distance. " **Moss!** Come on, hunting trip's over!" it yowled. She looked surprised. "Coming, dad!" she yowled, bolting through the wood in the direction of the voice. I was still shocked. I knew that voice. But... dad? Well, that explained things.

I turned in the direction of camp, only then realizing how far I had come. No wonder the tribe had never heard their yowling. I stalked off, lashing my tail angrily. Stoneshadow had a lot of explaining to do. For I swear, that loner... How had I not realised from the fur colour? That loner was Mosskit.

* * *

Rockear bolted across the last stretch of tundra, trotting through the small trees and bushes before the camp. Heading immediately into his den, he dropped the packet of herbs at Rabbitflower's paws. "How do you think these are supposed to be used?" he asked. "I don't recognize them, but those smell a bit like the burdock root that shows up in the sun-moons sometimes, and those smell like crow-berry leaves." he pointed out the two kinds of herb that had been in the leaf-wrap as he explained them. Rabbitflower's ears perked in surprise. Bending down to sniff the herbs carefully, she thought for a second. "I see what you mean about the scent. We could assume they have the same effect, but it would..." she paused to sniff the herbs again. "It would definitely be a stronger one." she concluded.

Rockear nodded, and set to work making the poultices and herb mixtures that would be required. After a few seconds, he stopped. "Rabbitflower. Why would Foxpaw need a herb for poisons?" he questioned. "What is it you're not telling me?" he added with a growl.

* * *

Tundrastride wished the world would just leave him alone. His father was a deserter and a disgrace, running off at the slightest problem, and not stopping for a moment to think about what it was doing to his own kits! _Worthless, brainless, pile of fox-dung! He should've never come back if he was just gonna run off to his little hole again._ Tundrastride growled. Lashing his tail in frustration, he stalked out of camp, soon feeling the familiar cool-hardness of his paws flying over the tundra for which he was named. He had no idea where he was going, and he couldn't care less. Running blindly away from the rising sun, he barely found the strength to dig his claws in and stop himself. Panting with exhaustion, he felt a weight he hadn't realised he had; weighing down his paws, his legs now as heavy as his heart. It was oddly satisfying to feel so bad. Looking over his shoulder, then back again, examining the world around him, he realised that there wasn't even a single rabbithole. The land here was featureless and bleak. It was simply white. White as the snow that was beginning to fall lightly onto his paws.

He supposed, in a way, that some would call it beautiful. Owlpelt said his mother had liked it. He couldn't see why. It was so... empty. The clouds were rolling in, turning the sky a white-gray like the snow on the ground. If not for the feeling of his paws on the ground, he probably wouldn't have been able to tell which way was up. It vaguely reminded him of one of the elder's tales he had been told as a kit by... actually, he couldn't remember who told him. A black tom, looked kinda like his sister. He didn't know a cat like that, though... Anyway, the story had been bad. He was pretty sure the warrior died at the end. He had never liked those ones. Looking around, feeling disoriented, the story snapped back to him. They said that when the clouds went thick enough to cover the morning star, a cat was gonna die. Tundrastride spun around desperately, trying to remember what direction he had come from, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his heart as the falling snow began to impair his vision.

* * *

"There's gonna be a snowstorm, Dawnpaw. Look's like it's gonna be a big one too. You should get inside." he heard Snoweyes' call from the warriors den. He looked away. "I don't wanna go in there." he mewed stubbornly. A rustle came from the camp entrance, and Raincliff padded in with a hard expression on his face. "You'll get in there all right, Dawnpaw. You don't want to be out here. Haven't you seen the sky today?" the leader noted as he passed by, headed for his own den. With a slight growl, he added with a hard tone to his voice,

 _"Haven't you heard Snoweyes telling stories? Someone out there is going to die today."_

* * *

 **Ugh... I'm gonna stop and inform you that I don't do this intentionally... These scenes write themselves. Also, perfect thousand words.**


	16. A patient sacrifice

**Ugh. I don't like cliffhangers. I actually don't. But I just always do, somehow... Make them.**

* * *

Mist was rolling in, creeping closer to the ground and leaving everything it touched damp and cold. This wasn't the Mist Tundrastride was familiar with. This was deadly, soaking into your fur and leaving you to freeze in the relentless wind and snow. This was mist that wanted to kill you, or at least leave you for dead. It was like the enemy who hated your face just because it was there.

When faced with everything he had been told was right, been told was good, tearing and roaring and freezing over him for absolutely no reason, he wasn't brave. He huddled down and wailed like a kit.

 _I don't understand!_ Was his silent yowl, thoughts barely heard over the storm of snow and ice. Nature's fury- roaring, blinding, freezing, depriving him of the world one sense at a time, stripping away all hope. The cold piercing even his tribe-thick fur, Tundrastride dug desperately into the snow, trying to escape the death blowing along with the wind. Muzzle dug into his paws in fear, a single thought arose in his mind. _Snowdrift, don't let me die..._

* * *

Dawnpaw had slipped into the fighter's den before the storm hit. He didn't want to be spending the next who-knows-how-long in the dark, cold apprentice's den anyway. It sucked in there. So here he was, curled awkwardly in the corner of the den, hoping for some warmth, listening to his tribe-mates arguing again.

"Well what do you want **me** to do?" a male voice demanded- it sounded like Boulderfoot.

"Something! Do a headcount! Go and be a hero! Pull my brother out of nowhere, safe and sound? Anything!" a female voice screeched back- must be Nightwhisper, only she complained like that.

"It would be suicide! Look, if you're really so determined to do a rescue mission, do it _yourself_. Or maybe, you can sit back and let fate run its course. Maybe your father will conveniently show up and save his tail."

"You... you..." she heaved, letting out a roar of pure fury. "C- couldn't you look beyond yourself, and do something right for once?! He could DIE because you just, sat back and- and let him!

Dawnpaw's eyes widened. Tundrastride wasn't in camp? He was sure he had seen him- no... no, he hadn't. Ears falling back in fear for the tom, he curled up even tighter, trying to push away the sick images rearing up in his mind. His gaze never rose high enough to see the shaded figure standing at the entrance to the den for a few brief moments.

* * *

Paws flying through the loose snowbanks, only one goal was clear in my mind. _Find Tundrastride, and don't let him die. Wolfstep's fury fits his name._

Squinting awkwardly, searching for any sign of the irritatingly-snow-colored tom, I held back my instinctual urge to panic. "No." I mewed under my breath. "I can keep going." Standing still for a few heartbeats, I scanned the snow around me, despite how futile it was in the ever-falling snow. Surely any pawprints from the tom would be long-gone by now, but it never hurt to check. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath; feeling the crisp cold in my lungs, the cold ground on my pads, listening to and scenting the world around me carefully. I reminded myself how well I could scent through snow. Hopefully, better than I thought.

I looked up into the gray cloudy skies, searching for the familiar shapes of my mentor and family in the shape of the mist. As with the last few seasons though, the clouds were just clouds. The white shapes of my bloodline, my tribe, my family- were nowhere to be seen. Only slightly dismayed by this, I sprinted through the constant streams of cold snow. Wet, soft, cold. Snow is amazing, in moderation. In this amount, though, especially while running against the wind- it's not easy. Even the sound of my breathing drowned out the noises, engulfed in sudden blindness with each exhale.

I wasn't sure how long I was running for. But I kept going. Beyond what was normal, beyond what was unusual, beyond endurance. Then, like the storm was giving me one last insult, I tripped. Over what, I wasn't sure. My own paws, probably. Lying there, too cold to move, I whispered to myself. "Sorry... Sorry Tundrastride... May the moon always light your hunting." I added. _But... It's my responsibility to bring him back, dead or alive... or dead._ I gritted my teeth in anticipation of what would come next. Sudden pain- like all of my fur being ripped out at once- rippled trough me, and my vision went black.

* * *

Opening my eyes and looking around, I recognized each of the five cats that had given me my blessings. Glowing, colors dulled down by a veil of white, like they had all been rolling in the snow. Golden, gray-blue, white, cream-gray, mottled black-on-brown; three toms, two she-cats, five blessings. "Eaglecliff. Skyrunner. Iceclaw. Leaftrail. ...Frostheart." I greeted each spirit in turn. Leaftrail stepped forward. "Strength, speed, skill, endurance and faith. Five chosen from the gifts the mist have always given- that's the way it always will be." he mewed. The lean and powerful tom bore a striking resemblance to his illegitimate, and only surviving, kit- Rockear, which had been a burden on the scout throughout his life.

"It is my time of need, and I call on your blessings." I mewed slowly, struggling to remember which words to say next. "I ask for endurance, to carry me beyond what I believe I can do." Yes. That was the line I was looking for. Leaftrail nodded solemnly, turning to stalk away. Pausing after his first step, he looked back. "Sleep well, Raincliff. You will need it for what is coming." he mewed, before continuing on his way and running off into the distance, the other spirits following in his pawsteps. I was left sitting by myself. Something felt... wrong. I felt sick, and like I had been attacked by a pack of wolves. Nothing left to do but endure the discomfort, I curled up and let myself slip into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Tundrastride opened his eyes and grunted with surprise. There was so much snow piled up on his pelt, he could barely move. The only part of his body not sunk into the snow was his muzzle, and that stung like it had been attacked by bees- no, actually; he had been stung by bees before, and this was worse. The sky above was the pale blue of a fine day, as if it was denying that any snowstorm had taken place. Gathering what strength he still had, he struggled against the weight of the snow. Bursting out of the snowbank in a spray of frozen clumps, he looked around with a gasp. Mountains rose off to one side, a long row of cliffs he had never seen before. Other than that, the land was featureless aside from the raised hill of snow he had been trapped under. He began to move toward the rising sun- that was the direction of camp, if he remembered right.

Before taking more than a few steps, something came to mind. How had he survived? One cat on their own, the storm would never had spared. Two or three maybe... But he had been alone, hadn't he? Turning back, he searched the snow pile carefully. There was, it seemed, a tuft of fur sticking out of the pile. On an impulse, he bit it. Not exactly gently, either. The entire snow pile exploded into his face. Shaking the snow out of his face, he looked up and met the stony gray glare of his leader.

* * *

"Do you know how stupid you are?" I spat. Tundrastride recoiled in shock. "Raincliff." he finally managed to blurt out. "Y-you're out here." I rolled my eyes. "Obviously. I'm in front of you, aren't I?" I pointed out. "Well, yeah, but... a storm like that won't leave until someone dies under it's gaze. Who died?" he questioned, amber eyes wide with fear and shock.

I growled slightly, and turned away from him. Looking up to the sky to search the few remnants of the night's stars, I found what I was looking for. Changeless. Yeah, the name was unoriginal, but it was also true. Changeless never moved. Looking at the star, then to the rising sun, then a point halfway between them, I looked back at Tundrastride. "Come on. Before the tribe wonders where I am." I sighed, springing quickly across the loose snow without waiting for him. He squeaked like a frightened kit, and overtook me in a few bounds. "Who died?" he pressed again. I glared at him, and continued at a steady pace. He opened his mouth to ask one more time, and I pushed him into the snow.

"I did, okay? You happy now, or are you going to spend all day trying to kill me again with your stupid questions?"

Tundrastride glared at me with a look of pure hatred. Battle fury overtaking his gaze, I barely had time to dodge before he lunged at me with a roar.

 ** _"How dare you! You think you're so great- you've never done anything for me!"_**

* * *

 **Well, I can't really argue with the guy. I created him. Anyway, things are only going to get more interesting from here.**


	17. Pushing forth the light

**You know, the hardest part of writing this is trying not to overuse the word snow. But I'm rambling, so... here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Leaping clumsily out of the way of Tundrastride's lunge, I flinched as my face punched through the thinning layer of powdery snow and slammed hard on the frozen ground beneath. Gasping, I pulled back just in time to dodge a badly-aimed swipe at my ears. Drawing back into the treeline so I could move better, I assessed the situation instinctually. Tundrastride was furious. He wouldn't be stopping any time soon, but at least his anger might throw his aim off. _Too hard to talk him out of trying to turn my pelt into his nest lining, so I'll have to either pin him or knock him out._ I ran through the techniques I knew, and how they would play out. I was not pleased with the results.

I looked across at the smaller tom, circling him, dodging the rage-blinded blows he sent my way- and reflected for a moment on how much he looked like his mother. They held themselves the same way; like they were trying to look humble, but at the same time, felt totally comfortable where they were. Perhaps that was why I felt so much responsibility towards the young tom, and his sister too. Perhaps that was why I was still here, taking his blows and not giving him any in return. Blind anger was so much like his father, but Tundrastride also had that layer of depth to him. A depth only Falconskies before him had held. By the mist, did I miss her. If only she hadn't been so caught up in Wolfstep, back when he had the patience to say more than three sentences before resorting to violence.

My moment of deep thought was interrupted as I pulled away from a blow that didn't strike where I expected. The world was silent except for the sound of our paws on the ground, and Tundrastride's occasional hisses of frustration. It seemed not a single snowflake on the ground, nor leaf on the trees, nor cloud in the sky, wanted to interrupt this fight. Breaking this delicate silence, I asked Tundrastide the question that had been on my mind.

"Why do you choose to be angry, Tundrastride?"

"What does that have to do with anything? I don't need your pointless questions!"

"If you're not going to listen to me, who will you listen to?"

"... ... ..."

* * *

Rockear was still trying to get over Rabbitflower's reaction. Yes, well, maybe he had just asked if she had been lying to his face about Foxpaw's injuries, but that didn't mean claw him and go to sleep in the corner. _Why did she even think that was a solution?_ It was beyond him.

Either way, he had tried the herbs that had been left at his paws after the star-spirit came to him. They seemed to be working. Foxpaw's wounds had begun to heal over, and he wasn't spitting up anything they coaxed down his throat. He was still yet to awaken, which was no surprise. With the strength that Stoneshadow had been famed for, the apprentice was lucky that his head was still in more or less one piece. It wouldn't be easy for him though. Flanks shredded bloody, ears in tatters, head knocked around badly, grazed on pretty much every other part of his body- and now Rabbitflower says it's likely Stoneshadow's claws had been coated in a poison... Surviving damage like what the small tom had was still borderline a miracle, and Rockear was still unsure he would ever fully recover. But... there was always hope for that. In time. How long a time, that he wasn't sure.

* * *

"I shouldn't have to listen to anyone, if all the voices I hear are wrong!" Tundrastride growled finally, making an unexpected leap. My vision blurred as I slammed hard into a tree. Pinned against the tree roots, I watched, only half focused, as he stared at me with disgust. "You're no leader. You're just a self-centred, self-righteous, cowardl-" he was cut off as I kicked him off me. He recoiled, then glared at me. "Would a coward save a kit not his own?" I replied gently. "You did hear me say _Self-_ _righteous_ , right?" he retorted.

I sighed. "The world isn't perfect, I get that. Have you even stopped to consider what you are too young to know? You don't know anything about me." He scowled, growling at my statement. "I have nothing. A mate who I never get to see, and wouldn't want to see me anyway, no family left... Do you know what that means for me? You have something, at least." I added, disturbed by the indifference in my own voice. He shook himself and glared at me again. "I don't have anything. You had it once. I never did." he spat. Biting out wildly, aiming slightly too close to my face for comfort, I knew I had won the battle there and then.

Pacing carefully away from him, I waited patiently. He lunged wildly again. I let my instincts take over as I recalled the difficult move. Sidestepping, then diving on my side in front of him: huffing like I had been winded, I watched the anger in his eyes change to a spark of success. As he lunged in for a vicious bite, I let my moons of practice control the timing.

 _There._

The steps ran fluidly, natural, efficient. Twisting, I locked my claws into his shoulders. Curling up, I latched my back claws into his other flank, though it made my own underbelly feel horribly exposed. I hung on for a few heartbeats, both of us in deadlock. There were several ways this could possibly play out, but most of them had me walking away from this- could bite my belly open from here, yes, but I was able to break his spine just as fast. Beaten beyond doubt, Tundrastride fell forward as he gave in to my weight. I looked down on him silently, before turning to look deeper into the trees. "The others will be missing us by now." I mewed simply, before continuing along my way, toward the camp. It was as if the fight had never happened. All was forgiven in my eyes.

* * *

Dawnpaw perked up as he watched the two toms enter camp. He had expected the worst. The camp had pretty much dissolved into chaos after they found- or more specifically, didn't find- Raincliff. Coldriver had seemed more irritated than upset, Blizzardtail, Owlpelt and Boulderfoot were being reasonably freaked out... Wintersnow was laughing like this was all hilarious, and Snoweyes didn't care in the slightest, just made comments like "I'm too old for this" and the like.

Everyone began to calm down as they noticed the pair. Raincliff looked rather bored for a cat who had just been out in a deadly snowstorm all night. Looking over at his mentor questioningly, he was met with a weak smile from Tundrastride. _I'll explain later_ , the tom mouthed, before ducking off into the fighter's den. Dawnpaw felt a little confused, but didn't question any further. He nodded slowly, trying to process what could have possibly just happened. Looking back in the direction of the scout's den, he found himself face to face with Palekit.

Her dark brown eyes were filled with an innocent curiosity. "Wha-wha... What are they all fu-fussing over?" she squeaked, tripping over her words. He released a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. "Oh. I think you'll have to find someone wiser than me to explain!" he noted gently grinning for what felt like the first time in his life. She stared at him with interest for a few seconds before realising what he said. She smiled, and burst into high-pitched giggles. He couldn't remember the last time he had made someone laugh for a good reason. He nodded. "Go on then. Go find someone smart." he suggested. Looking up at the sky, he felt so happy.

 _So this is what we train to defend. What we fight for. What we live for. I may not be some all-knowing leader, but if you ask me? It is so, so worth it._

* * *

 **Well, well. I ended the chapter on a happy point. This story needed a lighter note. Now you can't call me sadistic when the next chapters come out.**


	18. For the broken observer

**A-a-and... Now that I've gotten all the niceness out of my blood, let's move on to something not dripping with happy.**

* * *

Dawnpaw trotted along after his mentor, looking nervously around the narrow valley. He wasn't entirely sure where on the territory this was- he had kind of stopped paying attention, to his own embarrassment- or why they were coming here, but the place made him nervous. It just had that feel to it. For the- well, he had lost count- but for the somethingth time, he nagged Tundrastride. "Can't you just say it now?" "No. I said I would tell you when we got there." "Where's there?" "That I will also tell you when we get there." Dawnpaw groaned. "Fine. Just fine." he grumbled, picking up his pace to try and force his mentor to move faster.

The valley began to widen slightly as they padded along, but they never seemed to get any closer to the end. Or was the widening just his imagination? It was hard to tell. The whole place was just so mind-numbingly boring, and the light level was just bright enough to hurt his eyes without forcing him to flinch or look away. It was just uncomfortable. And Tundrastride wasn't even bothering to look back. He could turn around and the older tom probably wouldn't even notice. And the valley sides weren't straight cliffs either. They were on an angle, with a thin plateau about halfway up. He kept thinking he saw the ruffle of fur against the thin powder of snow, but that couldn't be possible. Tundrastride would have noticed any movements or strange scents well before they got this close. ...hopefully? Breaking into a run, he tried to walk alongside his mentor, only to be kicked back to his familiar place a few steps behind.

He had to be hearing real noises. There's no way he could be making them up. But if they were real, he would have seen the cats. Unless he couldn't. But that would make no sense. Feeling extremely disturbed, he crept along behind Tundrastride, who was being a oblivious as ever, whether it was choice or not. Finally he buckled. Sitting himself down, he looked up at the ridges to either side nervously. "Enough! I'm not going any further, this is far enough! I can't take this-this- **Thisness!** " he yowled. Tundrastride paused mid-step, front paw held up in an almost questioning stance. Putting it down, the older tom sat calmly, still not turning to face Dawnpaw.

"If you want to be _disrespectful_ ," he spat, "I will not argue. If you want to try something _practical_ ," he paused and took a breath, "I also will not argue. But I hope you are prepared to _accept_ what that **_means_**." he noted. The temperature and the light level both dropped about as fast as Dawnpaw's spirits. "Um- uh... sorry?" he whimpered, pulling back from the suddenly-much-larger-seeming Tundrastride. The flashes of movement he had seen before suddenly seemed much more obvious. He could see nothing to cause them, but in the corner of his eye, he could very clearly see black cat-shapes... shadows?- lurking on the ridges, and behind him. But other than that, he could not hear or scent anything out of the ordinary. A crunch of snow alerted him to the fact that his mentor had stood up again. Turning slowly, Tundrastride paused for a second mid-turn, eyes closed, almost as if listening for something.

"Umm... Are you going to do anything?" Dawnpaw questioned, after a few seconds of watching the other tom do absolutely nothing. His mentor visibly prickled with anger. Gaze snapping towards the apprentice, Dawnpaw pulled back in terror as the black shapes around him took on a true, visible form. Tundrastride- no, no it wasn't him- towered above, eyes blazing a pale yellow, as heartless, all-seeing and distant as dual suns. The shadowy forms leapt down from the valley-sides, closing in on him. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to go if he did, if this valley really went on as far as he thought it did. Nothing to do but cower before this twisted, cruel, Not-Tundrastride, consumed in an all-too-familiar fear. The Not-Tundrastride looked down at him and snarled. Form flickering between cat and some other beast, it called out in a booming voice. _"All things have consequences. When fate is inescapable, do you... run? Do you... hide? Do you... fight? Or... you are... crushed."_ It snarled, almost playing with him. It roared out one more time, before swiping out with giant claws at Dawnpaw.

* * *

Dawnpaw dug his claws into the ground, and screeched as loud as he could. Every shadow of the too-large, too-empty den called his mind back to that place. Those empty eyes... the shadow-cats... the overwhelming feeling of wrong, that just wouldn't leave him. He gasped for air, a brief moment of silence before his screech broke through the night again. Digging his muzzle into the remnants of his scattered nest, his shoulders heaved as he broke down and cried into the moss and furs.

* * *

Sparrowhawk jolted awake at the piercing noise. Looking behind him instinctively, he ensured that whatever was going on wasn't behind him. Looking over to Tundrastride, he saw the surprise and urgency in his friend's eyes. Leaping to his paws, he stumbled toward the den's entrance, taking note of all the others who had awoken at the noise. Pausing to let Tundrastride catch up, he lumbered sleepily over to the apprentices den, being knocked back as the other tom rushed in before him. The screeching intensified, and Sparrowhawk slipped into the den just in time to see Dawnpaw lash out at his own mentor. **_"Stay away from me!"_** the apprentice cried. Rushing over to put himself between the two, Sparrowhawk looked back at the four even slashes across his friend's face, running from the corner of his mouth up to his left ear. Looking down at the apprentice again, his angry gaze softened as he saw the genuine terror in Dawnpaw's eyes. He turned back to look at Tundrastride, only to find that he had left the den.

Sighing in frustration, Sparrowhawk sat down and stared at the smaller tom for a few heartbeats. He tried to gather up any sort of sympathy, but the screeching was making any feelings other than irritation rather difficult. Reaching out with a paw, he flinched and dodged a swipe from the terrified apprentice. Placing his paw down a second time, he reached over and gave him a lick between the ears. The noise stopped suddenly as Dawnpaw looked up at him, eyes wide. Sparrowhawk smiled, before looking out at the entrance. Standing to his paws, he padded over to the den entrance and sat down, watching over the rest of the camp, ignoring Blizzardtail, who had been lurking at the entrance awkwardly.

* * *

The moon shone down on the water's edge, turning it a pale silver. The crest of every wave shone in it's reflection, before sinking back into the deep. A pale, barely visible white figure padded along the plains before stopping at a large bramble den by the cliffs above the salty water. Observing the salt-lake carefully, the spirit turned as two figures appeared from the treeline in quick succession. Rushing along the moor, the two starry figures slowed as they approached. Nodding to the first, they sat carefully, both figures turning their eyes to the north, where a fourth figure padded along the cliff's edge confidently. The dark cat approached, the stars in it's fur shining much brighter and stronger than those of the first starry figures.

When they were all gathered inside, the first pale figure began to speak. "So we are all represented, then?" The darker starry figure snarled. "Of course. Unless we feel the mice need to be represented now." The smallest of the starry spirits stepped between the darker one and the pale spirit. "We did not call you here for a fight, Sunstar! Would you really challenge our power, united?" She warned. He rolled his eyes and stepped back. "I don't see why we need to discuss anything if the clans are thriving." he muttered. "Yes, your clan." the pale spirit snapped. "But you had to drag us into the mess your deputy made." "Oh, please. Fox's-" "Don't call me that!"

The final starry spirit, the one who had not yet spoken, looked up at the other three. "Well. I see little of what we have to do with this, but I have already promised my assistance. You have the aid of all who walk the eastern skies." he mewed, voice brimming with authority. Turning from the meeting, he padded away into the skies before disappearing into the sky altogether. The smallest star-spirit looked at the other two spirits. "Well. There goes our male voice of reason." she muttered. "But you two! Can't you but you differences aside for a second, and help each other? You are both from the northern skies, isn't that enough to be the same?"

"We are as similar as the sun and moon." they both spat in unison. "Exactly." she replied, with equal anger. "Rivals on the outside, but closer than you think. You know what? We're talking about this later. _**Get out, both of you.**_ " she snapped, before throwing wild claw-swipes at the pair until they ran off. Looking up at the sky, she sighed, before trotting away into the sky herself. The now-dimmed light barely illuminated the faint white stripe against the back wall. Shifting, tossing as if in deep thought, it disappeared into the dark shadows of the den.

* * *

 **Long, vague, depressing- and probably the most information revealed out of all the chapters. Yup. It passes in my book.**


End file.
